The morning sun rose overhead. It was a bright, sunny day, and warmer than it had been. The Baron walked through the streets and to the arena, where Laika and Afore both rested alongside one another. That morning, The Baron strutted up towards them and announced another public breeding was due that evening. Then, he went along his merry away, taking pleasure of the panic and hatred he'd instilled in Laika, and presumably Afore. Though, again, to her observation, Afore didn't seem very distraught. Rather, he relaxed in the dirt, and took the food and water offered to him by a guard dog. The guard dog looked and smelled very familiar to Laika.

"Bellamy," she said, smiling, "Thank goodness."

"Hello, Laika," he greeted her professionally, and gave her a chunk of fresh meat and a fresh bowl of water. The bowl was carved from fine redwood. She took it, and Afore shared.

Adore spoke, mouth full, "Do you know one another?"

"Bellamy was our guard last night," Laika said plainly, "And he's a good friend of ours."

"Of ours?" Afore said, narrowing his eyes at the little dog with scepticism and defensiveness. "I could break the poor guy in half."

"I know," Laika calmed, "But you won't. He's going to get us out of here."

"Is he, now? A little thing like that?" Afore peeled back his lips into a snarl, exposing wet fangs, and the grey hair along the ridge of his neck and spine stood straight on end, giving him the appearance of having a mane. "He won't be saving you, Laika," he snarled, "Only I can do that." Bellamy gave Laika a worried glance, wrinkles forming along the skin between his two ears and down his forehead in straight lines. She returned with a look of pity.

"Afore," Laika scolded him, "Bellamy is going to get us out of here!"

"He's a little dog!" Afore protested, looking at her. Her crystal eyes melted him, wide and reflective. He softened, but still did not warm up to Bellamy. He didn't like Bellamy, not one bit. Bellamy was useless to Afore, and would take Laika away from him. In fact, as Afore glowered and observed Bellamy, he despised him terribly, and saw him only as an opponent, there to take Laika away from him.

"He's my friend," Laika reiterated firmly, chin up. Bellamy took a few steps towards her for affirmation, and Afore couldn't help himself. He couldn't dare to see Bellamy anywhere near Laika. Bellamy had already poisoned her, making her think that Afore couldn't rescue her. That he needed help to rescue her. It should have been his duty alone.

As Bellamy took those few fateful steps closer to Laika, Afore lunged with a mighty snarl, and the leash around his throat caught him in a choke just an inch from Bellamy's throat. In fear and defence, Bellamy had rolled over onto his back with a shrill cry. Afore stood at the end of his leash, bristling and up on his hind legs, his front legs tall in the air and wavering. He slowly landed back on all fours, nearly frothing at the mouth, eyes locked on the little red dog like a target. Bellamy's dark eyes were wide with fear and white around the edges, his large ears back against his little head.

Laika jumped between them, glaring at Afore, and shouting, "Leave him alone!"

"He's manipulating you!" Afore snarled desperately, spitting. "He's not going to help us, and you know it! He works for The Baron! He works for Castimun Tribe!"

Laika sneered right back at him, "If not Bellamy, then who? You've not done too much to get us out of here so far! And I want out! I don't want anything like this! I don't want to breed with you!" Somehow, Afore found himself offended, hurt even, by her words. And then, he was enraged, and the heat beneath his skin became a flame.

"I'll get us out of here," Afore snarled, suddenly determined, his shoulders sharp over his back, his front arms stiff with flex, claws digging into the red dirt.

"Afore, what are you..." Laika watched him bristle and quiver, her eyes wide and concerned, tan eyebrows furrowed.

"I will," he spat, "Just watch, Laika. I will be the one to save you, and this mutt dog will go down. I'm the hero here." Afore didn't hear what he said as he said it, eyes glossed over by an intense rage, and his boiling hot hatred was aimed directly at Bellamy. His lips were peeled back in a throaty growl, the top of his muzzle wrinkled and his white teeth glinting. Anticipation coursed through him like a salty wave, pulsing. His eyes shone amber, narrowed and fierce with small black dots for pupils, and his ears back against his head. He tensed, rearing back slightly, a small arch to his spine.

Laika gave a wide glance to Bellamy, who still looked terrified, and spoke quickly, "Bellamy, run!"

Bellamy did not hesitate; the poor male turned and fled with an impeccable speed for his size. His muscles rippled beneath his short, glossy coat, and his body was clearly built for agility and grace. He slipped out of the arena from beneath a wood log of the fence quite easily, turning sharply to the left and racing tail down the street of the village, his tail tucked.

Afore's itching need to chase overtook him, and despite his otherwise desires and deal with The Baron, he lurched forward in a blurry grey flash. The rope around his neck hooked upon its post, and the post waned, bending, and then snapped in pale brown splinters, scattering across the dusty floor. The thicker rope connecting him and Laika flexed immediately taught, yanking her along by the throat, and she was forced to race alongside him after Bellamy's flashing orange and white form. Her own post cracked and snapped; and suddenly the two canines were loose from the arena, but not from each other.

"Afore!" Laika tried to reason, yelling over the barks and yips of those flashing past them in dismay and surprise. "Leave him alone!"

"Don't tell me to leave him alone," Afore snapped, "I'll prove this to you, Laika. I'll protect you."

"I don't need your protection!"

"You do!"

"I can take care of myself, Afore! Why can't you just be my friend?"

He grew increasingly hot, legs pumping, tail winding behind him, and increasingly frustrated, "We are friends, Laika!"

"Are you really my friend, Afore?" Her doubts came to mind, but even then, as they raced, panting, she couldn't help but look at him with a sense of affection. She was hoping he would say yes. But to him, this was a voicing of her doubts. His fury was already pounding in his head violently, his heart drumming as fast as his legs. He didn't want to let her go.

"You keep trying to leave," Afore said through a heave, his voice low and cold.

"I'm not trying to leave you, Afore," she said, breathless, "I just want my freedom back." The two fumbled with their paws a bit, not watching where they were running; Afore bumped into several dogs, skidding a bit, and their rope got twisted like a braid bouncing between them. But he considered her words carefully, and slowly went from a full sprint to a slow jog, and then to a slow stop, head low. He looked at Laika and only saw her despite the bustling crowd forming around them.

"Wolf!" A voice called, and Afore lifted his head to see The Baron.

Laika's own head shot up, droopy ears perked forward, and she hissed, "Now, Afore! We have to run now!" She tugged on the end of the rope, pulling away, eyes wide and afraid. But he hesitated, a little hunched with his posture and with wide eyes as the crowd departed for The Baron and his group of guardian dogs to close in on the wolf and his friend. They'd lost sight of Bellamy in all of the loud, blurry, and smelly chaos. The Baron's sleek form walked closer, head high and smug and angry. "Afore!" Laika pleaded.

"No," Afore growled, "No, I'm not running. I'll rescue you. We can turn this whole place upside-down, like you wanted to with Veal Tribe."

"No, Afore," her voice was rich and white with desperateness, pleading. "Let's just go, please!" She tugged again on the leash, fearing and helpless. Afore stood firm, planting his paws and raising his head and tail in a dominance display.

He shook his head, "No, Laika. I'm going to protect you."

"Afore—"

As The Baron pulled closer, his guard dogs running ahead to apprehend the wolf, Afore lunged, his paws hitting the ground with strong thuds and his dense coat billowing in the wind. In a flash of autumn, he flew across the short scene and zipped past the guardian dogs, clashing directly face-to-face with the sleek black Baron. The two met mouth to mouth, teeth to teeth, fangs bared and eyes wide and flashing. Their deep chests met, paws scraping at one another in the air as they reared upon their hind legs. Fur went flying, spittle appearing in the air in small clear droplets, and a thick scarlet line splattering across the crunching gravel underfoot. Afore managed to get one of The Baron's tall, pointy ears in his mouth, and yanked back with a tight grip, tearing it off at the base with spurting, gleaming red blood. The Baron was blinded in that side with the liquid, and snapped, droplets flying through the air.

A large yellow guardian dog attempted to help, lunging forward himself and snapping at Afore's haunches; he pulled a tuft of loose hair, spat, and then snapped again, this time grabbing the thick rope that connected Afore to Laika. The large yellow dog pulled back on the rope, choking Afore and Laika. Afore was pulled back by his throat with a squawk, falling backwards from his hind legs and onto the ground on his back, a pain shooting up his spine. He hit the ground hard and with a mighty, hollow sound.

Viciously, the black male snarled as he took no hesitation to leap upon Afore, now on top of his writhing form. Afore's large paws batted at The Baron's face, eventually catching his jingling gemstone necklace and tearing it from his neck. The Baron's mouth was open wide, flashing teeth and spit. Afore gripped the side of The Baron's face, catching tight skin and pulling it loose, throwing The Baron face-first into the dirt beside him with a mighty smack and cry. Then, Afore quickly scrambled to his paws, not even taking the time to adjust or stand upright, and turned and leapt upon the black, writhing dog, now on top of him as he was on his side. The two clashed fang to fang once again in a vicious brawl. Afore overpowered The Baron.

"Wolf!" The Baron choked out from beneath him, strained, "That saluki will leave you the moment you strike me!"

"No," Afore snarled, "She will rule this pathetic tribe alongside me!" Spit sprinkled onto the black dog's face, and he wrinkled his nose with disgust and anger.

"What do you know about ruling a tribe?" The Baron cackled.

Afore leaned in closer, feeling The Baron's breath hot on his cheek, and whispered, "Fear."

He raised his head, jaws open wide, and then plunged it forward, sinking fangs into The Baron's throat with a garble. The Baron scratched against him violently, leaving streaks of red on his chest beneath his fur, and pulling out hair with his nails. Soon after, The Baron's body went limp in a pool of dark blood, and Afore released him, lifting his head up tall in triumph and scanning the crowd as they all gasped, staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. Red caked upon Afore's mouth, chin, and neck. He wore it with pride.

He addressed the formed crowd with a strong voice, "I am now your new Baron! You will all bow to me, and I shall become Castimun Tribe!" The itch in his paws, the tingling running up his spine... it was all exhilarating, and he was thoroughly excited, his tail almost wanting to wag. This entire town of folk... now all under his control. What a wonderful thought. Finally, he could stop running for his life. He could get to others before they got to him. Already, his mind was racing with big plans he had for the little tribe. He wanted to advance their use in stonework, dig up steel and iron and invent forgery; he would be like no other wolf, and instead of being primitive, would be completely advanced. Nothing could stop him, now.

Laika stared at him, breathless and completely motionless, unsure of how to react other than with shock and disgust. Afore caught her eye and gave a devilish smile.

"Afore," Laika said, slowly, softly, padding towards him, "I never wanted this. I don't want this tribe."

Afore shook his head, and his fur flopped side to side, scarlet droplets scattering about, "This tribe is ours now, Laika. You should be beside me as a Baroness."

"A Baroness?" She'd never heard of such a thing.

"Yes," Afore said. "Castimun Tribe is ally to Veal Tribe. We can conquer them, as well."

"I don't want to conquer them," Laika hissed, frustrated, "I just want to make life better for everyone there."

"Yeah, yeah, we will make it so!" Afore said, chuckling, "I swear to you, Laika, we will! This is the first step."

"You didn't even ask me what I wanted," she said again, nearly pleading, her eyes glassy and wet. Her voice tempted to break.

"Laika," Afore said, exasperated, pushing her concerns to the side, "It will be alright. All I need is for you to trust me."